Machine for setting and spacing fastener elements on garments



Feb. 14. 1956 M. J. CARPINELLA ET AL 2,734,653

MACHINE FOR SETTING AND SPACING FASTENEIR ELEMENTS 0N GARMENTS FiledFeb. 21, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 5 Michael J. Carpin ella RwhurdV Rosengrcmt D m 89 ,6! FATTORNEY Feb. 14. 1956 M. J. CARPINELLA ET AL,6

MACHINE FOR SETTING AND SPACING FASTENER ELEMENTS ON GARMENTS 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 21, 1951 INVENTORS mchuel J. Cur

pinella \ZRosen grunt Richard ATTORNEY Feb. 14. 1956 M. J. CARPINELLA ETAL 2,734,653

MACHINE FOR SETTING AND SPACING FASTENER ELEMENTS ON GARMENTS 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 21, 1951 INVENTORS Michael J.Curpinellq m; rEMW e 0 mm W m 0 Feb. 14, 1956 M. J. CARPINELLA ET AL 2,734,653

MACHINE FOR SETTING AND SPACING FASTENER ELEMENTS ON GARMENTS Filed Feb.21, 195] 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS Michael J. Carpinellu Richard VRosen grant B fi -f- M ATTORNEY Feb. 14. 1956 M. J. CARPINELLA ET AL2,734,653

MACHINE FOR SETTING AND SPACING FASTENER ELEMENTS ON GARMENTS Filed Feb.21, 195] 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IIO INVENTORS Michael J. Car inellcr Richard VRosen grant #4 z TTORNEY United States Patent MACHINE FOR SETTING ANDSPACING FAS- TENER ELEMENTS 0N GARMENTS Michael J. Carpinella andRichard V. Rosengrant, Waterbury, Conn., assignors to ScovillManufacturing Company, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of ConnecticutApplication February 21, 1951, Serial No. 212,136 4 Claims. (o1. 218-6)This invention relates to improvements in machines for setting fastenersand is especially intended for use in factories for attaching two, threeand four snap fasteners to a garment such as mens shorts.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a gauging unit to beattached to a fastener setting machine which can be quickly adapted toset either a single -fastener and then stopped or to set either two,three or four fasteners in predetermined spaced relation and stopped atthe end of each cycle.

In considering the most common instance where three fasteners areattached to the front of a garment in predetermined spaced relation, ithas been found that there are objections to a work support table whichstarts at one end, travels toward the other end and then starts at thatend and reverses the operation. This is because there is likely to be anaccumulation of errors in spacing so that the socket and stud parts ofthe snap fasteners will not always register properly.

In our improved machine when attaching three fasteners the garment isplaced on a support table or carriage and positioned relative to thesetting station of the machine so that first the middle fastener isattached, then the table shifts to attach one of the end fasteners, thenshifts across to the other end fastener and finally back to the middleposition. This enables the operator to put the garment into the machinealways in the same position and at the most convenient location and atthe same time avoids accumulation of errors in spacing.

Our improved machine when started up, automatically carries through theentire operation of attaching two, three or four fastener parts and thenstopping to allow the garment to be removed and replaced by a new one.The attaching and table shifting operations are initiated in ourimproved machine merely by pressing an electric foot switch.

means for clamping the garment in place on the table and for controllingthe drive clutch, all initiated by the foot switch and stoppedautomatically upon completion of afuil cycle.

Another object is to provide mcansfor maintaining current to thegarmentholding solenoid and the clutch solenoid upon release of the footswitch, the circuit being broken only upon completion of the full cycleof operations.

The invention is an improvement upon the Huelster et al. application,Serial .No. 738,124, filedMarch L29, 1947, now Patent 2,646,185.

Another object is to provide a gripping means that will hold the garmentupon the table carriage of the gauging unit and permit one edge of thegarment to be held by the gripping means so as to approach relativelyclose to the setting station without the gripping means interfering withthe setting tools of the machine and .to provide automatic operation ofsaid gripping means.

.The novel features o'f this invention will be best .understood whentaken together with the accompanying drawings in which certainembodiments of the invention Another object of the invention is toprovide electrical 5o are disclosed and in which,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the gauging unit showing portionsof the standard fastener setting machine to which it may be applied andshowing the gauging unit in position for setting the end fastener of thegarment.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the gauging machine with parts of theconstruction broken away and in section and with parts omitted for thesake of clarity.

Fig. 3 is a right end sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showingthe clutch arm in locked position when the machine is at rest.

Fig. 4 is a left end view of the mechanism.

Fig. '5 is a diagrammatic view of the electrically controlled unitsshowing their relative connections with the necessary mechanicalelements of the gauging unit.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the special alligator jaws for grippingthe edge of a garment, and

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are plan views of garment constructions showing aseries of snap fastener elements attached to a portion of a garment inthe order of two, three and four elements.

In the drawings the numeral 10 represents the support pedestal of afastener attaching machine. Said pedestal is provided with a bed place10a upon which is mounted afra'me 11 having a head 12 within which isvertically operated a setting plunger 13 in line with the settingstation of the machine. One of the elements of a fastener member may befed through tracks 14 from a hopper (not shown) and forced into a set ofjaws 15 in line with the plunger 13. A main drive shaft 161: rotatesin'bearings 17 on the frame 11 and supports on one end a one-way drivepulley 18 with an intermediate clutch of conventional construction.

The pulley 18 rotates freely upon one end of shaft 16 and is providedwith a hub 18a within which is secured a clutch ring 19 cooperating witha clutch driven member 20 keyed to shaft 16. Between the ring 19 anddriven member 20 is the usual wedging spaces within which operate clutchrollers 21 under the control of fingers 22a projecting from a clutchcage 22 rotatable on an enlarge'd portion 16a of shaft 16. The drivepulley and associated clutch mechanism is of the same general typeillustrated and described in the'aforemen'tioned Hnelster et al.application. The clutch cage 22 is fonne'd with a detent 225 thatcooperates with a clutch arm 23 having one end pivoted at 24 on abearing block '25 mounted on bed plate 16a (see Fig. 3). The oppositeend of the arm 23 is connected by a rod 2-6 under the control of asolenoid S2 to be more fully explained later.- A .hrase mech" anism-v,generallyindicated by numeral '27 is associated with shaft -16 toprevent the shaft and attaching mechanism from over-riding due to themomentum of the operatingpar'ts upon the release of the clutch at theent of the machine cycle of Operations.

The gauge operating table carriage E'gs..7, 8 and9 .show portions ofagarment such as one side of :a fly front construction of a pair ofshorts to whichaseries .of sn-apffastener elements 28 may beattache'd,.and showing 2, l3 and 4 elements attached to garment portions2%, 30 and 31, respectively. The present machine isv set up toattach'three fastener elements 28 on the garmentportionBO of the type asshown in Fig. 8.

The garment portion .30 issupported .upon a workpiece ing in spacedbearings 37 formed as a part of a boa-like I I The table carriage isprovided with spaced brackets 34 and 35 in whichareattached a pairofguide .rods .36, the latter. slidablyengag- 3 bracket 38 attached to aprojection 39 extending forwardly from the machine frame 11. One end ofthe table 33 is formed with an elongated socket 40 within which operatesa roller bearing 41 supported on one end of a lever 42 that operates thetable 33 from a gear and cam drive now to be described.

Gear and cam arrangement in operating the table 33 from the main driveshaft 16, a gear and cam housing 43 is secured to the left end of theframe 11, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and supports a supplemental shaft44 in suitable bearings therein in line with the main shaft 16. Thesuppelemental shaft 44 may be selectively keyed to the main shaft 16 bya clutch thimble 45 slidable on shaft 44 and having a key connection 46with a cross slot 47 in the adjacent end of the main shaft 16. Thethimble 45 is slidably operated on the shaft 44 by a yoke 48 pivoted onthe housing 4-3 at 49 and having an extension arm 50 connected to a link51 in turn connected to a lever 52 fixed to a shaft 53 journaled in apair of ribs 43a formed as a part of the housing 43. A hand operatedlever 54 is secured to the shaft 53 in front of the housing 43 so as tobe easily accessible to the operator. Another lever 55 is also connectedto shaft 53 and extends downwardly in line with a switch operating arm56 for controlling a normally closed microswitch MS located under thebed plate a. The purpose of this switch will be described later.

In order to render the machine readily changeable to set a differentnumber of fasteners in different sequences on garments, a double set ofgear arrangements is provided in the gear housing 43. A worm 57 is keyedon the supplemental shaft 44 and drives a worm gear 58 keyed to a stubshaft 59 vertically journaled in the gear housing 43. A spur gear 60 iskeyed to shaft 59 for driving a complemental spur gear 61 keyed to a camshaft 62 also vertically journaled in gear housing 43. A box cam 63 iskeyed to the shaft 62 and is formed with a cam groove 64 within whichoperates a roller 65 carried on the adjacent end of the table operatinglever 42, the latter being pivoted on shaft 66 mounted on the gearhousing 43. The opposite end of the lever 42 carries the roller 41 thatengages the table 33 as previously described.

In order to stop the cycle of machine operations at the proper time, aswitch-control cam 67 is mounted on cam shaft 62 below the spur gear 61and is provided with a projection 68 that is adapted to contact a switchlever 69 on control or stop switch SS for every revolution of the cam63. Operation of the lever 69 by the cam 67 closes the switch SS whichcontrols the solenoid S2 through the two relays CR1 and CR2 to stop thecycle of machine operations as will be more fully explained later.

Garment holding fingers and guides In order to hold the garment upon thesupport table 33 as it travels from one position to another, provisionis made of a pair of holding fingers that hold the garment against thetable top and travel with the table through its cycle of operations.Also guides or locating plates are provided that serve to set thegarment in proper position on the table relative to the setting stationto receive the first fastener setting. To this end a pair of guideplates 70 and 71 are adjustably secured to the top of the table carriage33 which plates are arranged longitudinally with respect thereto and arecapable of being adjusted laterally relative to said table top. It isagainst these plates 70 and 71 that the longitudinal edge of the garmentis set in ganging the proper spacing of the fasteners inwardly withrespect to the longitudinal garment edge. Another locating plate 72 isalso attached to the table 33 positioned crosswise thereof and capableof being adjusted longitudinally relative to said table top. The plate72 serves to properly set the end of the garment relative to the settingstation of the machine.

The garment is clamped against the top of table 33 by a pressure finger73 and a pair of alligator jaws 74 and 75, upper and lower,respectively. The finger 73 is provided with a cushion pad 76 so as tocompensate for the various thicknesses of the garment material that maybe supported upon the table carriage. The finger 73 is mounted upon asquare rod 77 which is located in back of the table carriage 33 and hasits ends journaled in a pair of spaced bearing brackets 78 attached toand travelling with the table carriage 33.

The alligator jaws 74 and 75, as best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, havetheir free ends bent downwardly to lie close to the table top so as togrip opposite sides of the cloth as near to the setting station aspossible when the table is moved to one end of its stroke. The jaws 74and 75 are pivoted together by pin 79 and are normally held in openposition by an interposed expansion spring 80. The jaws 74, 75 as a unitare pivoted on a bracket 81 projecting upwardly from the table carriage33. In order to hold the jaws shut against the opening influence of thespring a contact finger 82 is adjustably mounted on square rod 77 andhas a lateral extension 83 that cooperates with a lug 84 projectingrearwardly from the upper jaw 74.

The operation of the finger 73 and jaws '74, 75 is under the control ofthe square rod 77. The right end of this rod 77 as viewed in Figs. 2 and3 has an arm 85 secured thereto. The arm 85 supports a roller 06 on itsfree end that engages against a longitudinal bar 87 attached to the endof a pair of spaced arms 88 keyed to a shaft 89 pivoting in a bracket 90attached to the front of the frame 11. The roller 86 is held in tensionagainst the longitudinal bar 87 by a spring 85a anchored to the arm 85and a stationary part of the machine. The shaft 89 is rotated by a pairof gears 91, 92, one of which is secured to said shaft 89 while theother is secured to a stub shaft 93 jour naled in a bracket 94 securedto the front of the frame 11 immediately underneath bracket 90 (see Fig.3). The shaft 93 in turn is operated by a lever 95 secured thereto andhaving its free end attached to a rod 96 that is operated by a plunger97 in solenoid S1. it is to be noted that when the solenoid S1 isoperated to draw the plunger 97 inwardly, the bar 87 will be swungrearwardly or to the right as viewed in Fig. 3 and rotating the squareshaft 77 to operate the pressure finger 73 and alligator jaws 74 and 75to hold the garment against the top of the table carriage 33. Thegarment will be continuously held during the entire cycle of operationsby reason of the roller 86 on arm 85 being held by tension and incontinuous engagement with the bar 87 during the travel period of saidcarriage.

Electrical control The electrical control for operating the machine isbest shown in Fig. 5. The main circuit lines are indicated by numerals100 and 101. Line 100 leads directly to solenoid S1, and 101 leadsdirectly to a double contact foot switch FS that may be placed on thefloor adjacent the pedestal 10 of the machine. The foot switch F8, inthe embodiment shown is a two stage switch which has two independentswitches 104 and 105, the lower switch 104 being set to close ahead ofthe upper switch 105. The electrical circuit also includes two contactrelays CR1 and CR2, both of which control two double make and breakswitches, CR1 having switches 106 and 107 that are both normally openand CR2 having switches 108 and 109, switch 108 being normally closedand switch 109 being normally open.

The circuit to solenoid S1 is completed by line 110 leading therefrom toline 101 through switch 107 of contact relay CR1 or through switch 104of foot switch F8. The circuit is made through solenoid S2 by line 111connected to main circuit 100 and passing through the normally closedswitch 108 of contact relay CR2 and through switch of foot switch PS toline 101. The circuit through contact relay CR1 is made by line 112connected to line 111 and passing through a manually operated toggleswitch TS and microswitch MS (previously described in connection withthe clutch control for supplemental In the operation of the machine andtable shifting mechanism for properly gauging the position of thegarment to a setting station of the machine and in setting fasteners onsaid garment, a garment will first be placed upon the table carriage 33and arranged in proper location for the first fastener setting operationby lining up the garment edges with locating plates 70, 71 and 72.Specifically in this application the upper edge 30a of the garment 30will be abutted against the plate 72 and the longitudinal edge 30b ofthe garment will be abutted against the plates 70 and 71.

In starting the machine the toggle switch TS will first be thrown toclosed position to tie the outside current from main line 100 throughline 112 and normally closed microswitch MS, relay CR1, normally closedswitch 108 and line 111 to normally open switch 105. This will allow thecircuit to be completed to relay CR1 when switch 105 is closed. Theoperator will then start the cycle of machine operations by firststepping on the foot switch FS and pressing it to its first contactstage whereby current will pass through switch 104 from main line 101 toline 110 and solenoid S1 that functions to press the pusher finger 73and alligator jaws 74 and 75 against the table top to hold the garmentin position.

Pressing the foot switch FS farther to a second stage even momentarilywill pass current from line 101 through switch 105 into line 111 throughthe normally closed switch 108 of CR2 and through solenoid S2 to line100. Actuation of solenoid S2 will trip lever 23 to release clutch 22and start the cycle of operations. Closing the second stage switch 105of the foot switch FS will also energize contact relay CR1 throughline112, and switches TS and MS leading to main line 100. This will closeboth switches 106 and 107, switch 107 serving to keep the circuit closedto the solenoid S1 through line 110 to hold the finger 73 down and keepthe jaws 74 and 75 clamped together. Switch 106 keeps line .113,connected to main circuit 101 through line 115, supplying current tosolenoid S2 through line 111, switch 1'08, and to main circuit 100 tocontinue the cycle of "operations in spite of the fact thatthe footswitch 'FS may be disengaged by the operaton'this being "effectedbecause contact relay CR1 is kept energized by current from this circuitbranching from switch 108 through line 112.

The cycle of operations will continue until the switch control cam 67 onshaft 62 contacts switch arm 69 and momentarily closes stop switch SSthat, through closed switch 106, lines 115, 113, 114 and 117, willenergize contact relay CR2. This will close switch 109 and open switch108 of contact relay CR2. Opening the latter switch 108 deenergizessolenoid S2 to return the clutch lever 23 and stop the clutch 22 thatcontrols the main power shaft 16 and also denergizes contact relay CR1to open switches 106 and 107. Opening switch 107 will,

of course, deenergize solenoid S1 and release the garment grippingfinger and alligator jaws. Opening of the switch 106 assures thatsolenoid S2 and relay CR1 will not be energized when switch 105 isreleased to deenergize CR2 and thereby allow switch 108 to close again.If perchance the operator should fail to release the foot control switchFS until after the cycle of operations is complete, the cycle would notrepeat because of the fact that CR2 remains energized while FS is helddown by power from line 101 through switch 105, line 111, andsupplemental line 116 through switch 109, relay CR2, line 117, back tomain line 100, thereby maintaining switch 108 open, which preventssolenoid S2 being energized. Furthermore, with the switch FS heldcontinuously closed the garment would not be released by reason ofclosed switch 104 keeping circuit closed to solenoid S1 through line110.

When it is desired to operate the machine to set single fasteners, thecycling of the table carriage 33 may be stopped by the operator pressingthe handle 54 downwardly which will operate clutch 45 to disconnect thesupplemental shaft 44 from main shaft 16. In the operation of the handle54 the lever 55 will open the microswitch MS and thus render the circuitrelay CR1 inoperative whereupon the operation of the machine will becontrolled by the foot switch FS at all times.

In making repairs or adjusting a machine for the desired operations itis sometimes desirable to have the table carriage cycle through only aportion of its movement. This can be accomplished by raising the handle54 and having the clutch 45 engaged. This will, of course, closemicroswitch MS. Therefore, in order to render circuit relay CR1inoperative, the toggle switch TS should be opened which will place themovement of the table carriage 33 in full control of the foot switch FS.

It will now be evident that the thing which controls the cycle of themachine is the operation of stop switch SS. If it is desired to have themachine attach two fasteners as in the case of Fig. 7, the main shaft 16will need to make two complete revolutions to operate the attaching headtwice while the cam shaft 62 is making one revolution. Accordingly, theproper set of spur gears 60 and 61 will be assembled in the gear box 43which will accomplish that purpose and also a complementary cam to shiftthe table the desired distance for setting two fasteners. In determiningthe position of the fasteners on a garment construction of the abovecharacter it is customary to designate the fastener adjacent the uppergarment edge as the No. 1 setting, the next one down as the No. 2setting, and so on down the garment. In the case of only two fastenersettings preference is given to setting up the machine to set thefasteners in the order of 2-1 and then back to 2 and the garment removedfrom the machine.

Now, when it is desired to set three fasteners, as in Fig. '8, the bestresults come from setting the fasteners in the order of 2 3-1 and backto 2 when the garment will be removed and accordingly the set of spurgears 60 and '6-1'will be selected which will allow the main shaft 16 toturn three complete revolutions while shaft 62 is making one revolution,and a suitable cam will be provided such as to perform the desiredshifting of the table.

in setting four fasteners, as in Fig. 9, the best sequence is to set thefasteners in the order of 2-4-3-1 and returning back to 2. Accordingly,a set of gears and a cam will be selected which will allow the mainshaft 16 to turn four times while shaft 62 turns once and the cam willbe designated to shift the table to the desired four station positionsat the right time.

While We have herein described and upon the drawing shown anillustrative embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood thatthe invention is not limited thereto but may comprehend otherconstructions and arrangements without departing from the spirit of theinvention and details of parts.

We claim:

1. in a machine of the class described, a mechanism for automaticallyshifting a workpiece with respect to a fastener attaching station of themachine, said mechanism comprising a main drive shaft, a clutch drivefor said shaft, a solenoid control for said clutch drive, a workpiecesupport table, table actuating means for shifting said table to apredetermined stop position for each revolution of said main shaft, anelectric stop switch actuated by said table actuating means upon apredetermined number of rotations of said shaft, a pair of electricrelays designated first and second, said second relay arranged incircuit with said stop switch, a foot operated switch controlling saidclutch solenoid through the normally closed switch of said second relaywhen deenergized, and said foot switch when initially closed completinga circuit through said first relay, said first relay maintaining aclosed circuit to said clutch solenoid after release of said footswitch, and the closing of said stop switch energizing said second relayto break the circuit to said clutch solenoid after a predeterminednumber of shaft revolutions.

2. In a machine of the class described, a mechanism for automaticallyshifting a workpiece with respect to a fastener attaching station of themachine, said mechanism comprising a main drive shaft, a clutch drivefor said shaft, a solenoid control for said clutch drive, a workpiecesupport table, table actuating means for shifting said table to apredetermined stop position for each revolution of said main shaft,means for holding a workpiece in alined position on said table, asolenoid control for said holding means, an electric stop switchactuated by said table actuating means upon a predetermined number ofrotations of said shaft, a pair of electric relays designated first andsecond, said second relay arranged in circuit with said stop switch, atwo-stage foot switch wherein closing of the first contact will energizesaid holding means solenoid and closing of the second contact willenergize said clutch solenoid through said second relay when said secondrelay is deenergized and also actuate said first relay, said first relaymaintaining a closed circuit to said solenoids regardless of the releaseof said foot switch, and the actuation of said stop switch enerizingsaid second relay to break the circuit to said clutch solenoid after apredetermined number of shaft revolutions.

3. In a machine of the class described, a mechanism for automaticallyshifting a workpiece with respect to a fastener attaching station of themachine, said mechanism comprising a main drive shaft, a clutch drivefor said shaft, a solenoid control for said clutch drive, a workpiecesupport table, table actuating means for shifting said table to apredetermined stop position for each revolution of said main shaft,means for holding a workpiece in alined position on said table, asolenoid control for said holding means, an electric stop switchactuated by said table actuating means upon a predetermined number ofrotations of said shaft, a pair of electric relays designated first andsecond, said first relay having a pair of contact switches beingnormally open when said relay is deenergized, said second relay arrangedin circuit with said stop switch and having a single contact switchnormally in closed position when said relay is deenergized, a two-stagefoot switch wherein closing of the first contact will energize saidholding means solenoid and closing of the second contact will energizesaid clutch solenoid through the normally closed contact of said secondrelay and also energizing said first relay to close the double contactsto maintain its circuits closed to both solenoids when the foot switchis released, and the actuating of said stop switch energizing saidsecond relay to open the circuit to said clutch control solenoid andalso to said first relay to open the circuits to said solenoids that areestablished independently of said foot switch.

4. In a machine of the class described, a mechanism for automaticallyshifting a workpiece with respect to a fastener attaching station of themachine, said mechanism comprising a main drive shaft, a clutch drivefor said shaft, a solenoid control for said clutch drive, a workpiecesupport table, table actuating means for shifting said table to apredetermined stop position for each revolution of said main shaft,means for holding a workpiece in alined position on said table, asolenoid control for said holding means, an electric stop switchactuated by said table actuating means upon a predetermined number ofrevolutions of said shaft, 21 pair of double contact electric relaysdesignated first and second, said first relay contact being normallyopen when the relay is deenergized, said second relay arranged incircuit with said stop switch and having one contact open and one closedwhen the relay is deenergized, a two-stage foot switch wherein closingof the first contact will energize said holding means solenoid andclosing of the second contact will energize said clutch solenoid throughthe closed contact of said second relay and also energize said firstrelay to close its double contacts to maintain the circuits closed toboth solenoids when the foot switch is released, and the actuating ofsaid stop switch energizing said second relay to open the circuit tosaid clutch control solenoid and also to said first relay to open thecircuits to said solenoids that are established independently of saidfoot switch, and the closed switch of said second relay maintaining acircuit to said second relay through said foot switch until the latteris released.

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